Don’t believe everything you read! Here’s what you should and SHOULDN’T be doing in your skincare regime.
With every cult skincare product and buzzy new beauty trend, you’ll find a glut of advice telling you the best and the worst things do to when it comes to looking after your skin. From our experience, sometimes it’s really better not to believe the hype.
So, with that in mind, we thought we’d bust some of the most common skincare myths that some of us (if not all if us) have been guilty of believing — dabbing toothpaste onto a giant blemish is the first thing that springs to mind!
8 Common Skincare Myths Debunked
Myth #1 You can shrink your pores
You can try every wonder product under the sun, but the sad truth is you can’t actually shrink enlarged pores because your pore size is largely determined by genetics. Just like some people have blue eyes and others have brown, some people have small pores, and some have large.
Pores are there to catch dirt and oil, so this may make them appear more pronounced. Using cleansers and face masks to draw out impurities will make them appear smaller, but it won’t shrink them.
Top tip: Apply a primer before your foundation to smooth out the appearance of enlarged pores.
Myth #2 You need an abrasive, grainy exfoliator to get rid of dead skin
An exfoliator shouldn’t be too harsh on your skin. If it leaves your skin feeling a little raw, sore or red, you’re actually damaging your skin, not helping it! Exfoliation should be thought of in terms of cleansing, so exfoliating products should be gentle on your skin, like a cleanser.
Here’s our beauty expert Maizie’s recommendation:
Try the gentle Jojoba Bead Cleanser. This cleanser is infused with small jojoba beads which when massaged to the skin, provides gentle exfoliation, before the beads burst, leaving your skin deeply clean, purified and hydrated!
Myth #3 Drinking lots of water keeps your skin hydrated
Whilst drinking lots of water is 100% good for you, the truth is, when you drink water, it doesn't automatically go to the skin—it hydrates cells once absorbed into the bloodstream, and is then filtered by the kidneys. Drinking water flushes the system and hydrates our bodies overall, but it doesn’t necessarily hydrate the skin, which is what we’re after here.
There’s often confusion around dry skin and dehydrated skin. Dry skin has a lack of natural oils or lipids, while dehydrated skin has a lack of water in the top layer of the skin.
To test if your skin is dehydrated: pinch a small amount of skin on your cheek, hold for a few seconds and if it starts to wrinkle with gentle pressure instead of snapping back into shape, your skin cells are desperate for water.
If you do need a hit of hydration, use a hyaluronic-based product to add, and also lock in moisture, in addition to your daily water intake.
Here are Maizie’s top picks:
CEMOY Hyaluronic Acid Repair Ampoule Serum 5mL 2 Pack
Get yourself a serum that repairs and boosts your skin's moisture barrier for ultimate hydrated and plump skin. This serum is antioxidant rich, to assist in the prevention of further damage from free radicals, as well as deeply hydrating, to boost elasticity! Get it on your must-have list!
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Anti-Ageing 40mL
A hydrating, boosting formula, that combines two pure hyaluronic acids to re-plump your skin. This moisturiser will give your skin volume and rejuvenation for a smoother, youthful looking complexion.
Trilogy Hyaluronic Acid + Booster treatment
This two-week intensive treatment hydrates the skin quickly, with long term effects. Apply 2-3 drops morning and night, followed by your chosen serum and moisturiser.
Dr. LeWinn's Line Smoothing Complex Under Eye Recovery Masks 3 Pack
Don't forget about your eyes! Our eye area contains fewer oil glands, so technically this delicate area is the most dehydrated part of the face. This quick-fix eye mask will instantly hydrate and plump your eyes, perfect for a pamper night or just before heading out!
Myth #4 Expensive skincare products are better than cheaper ones
There are SO many skincare products and brands out there, all addressing different concerns and each containing an array of active ingredients. The active ingredients determine how effective a product is, so if you find the ingredients you need in a product that’s $20, it’s more than likely going to work just as well as well as a high-end product for triple the price.
All brands have hero products, and that can include high end products as well as affordable ones. The trick is to pick products that work for your skin type and also go on recommendations.
Here are two of Maizie’s favourite budget buys:
Sukin Rosehip Hydrating Day Cream 120mL
This enriching moisturiser contains natural rosehip oil, which helps to repair premature ageing, and Kakadu Plum, that’s native to Australis and naturally rich in vitamin C to keep the skin hydrated and renewed. High in ingredients, low in price!
Natio Rosewater Hydration Antioxidant Serum 30mL
Supercharge your skincare regime with this Natio’s intensive, nutrient-rich serum. Infused with plumping Hyaluronate and natural antioxidant plant extracts, your skin will love it as much as your pocket!
Myth #5 Essential oils are good for your skin
Whilst the aroma of these sweet-smelling infusions are great for relaxation, essential oils are actually fairly potent in their concentrated form, and can cause irritation to your skin, particularly if you have sensitive skin.
Our advice? Just inhale the aromas. Your complexion will thank you for it!
Myth #6 Toothpaste will fix acne
We’re not sure how this rumour started, but putting toothpaste on your zit is a BIG no, no. Toothpaste is made with harsh ingredients, like menthol and hydrogen peroxide. Whilst these ingredients are safe to use on your pearly whites, they’re not made to use on your face. Dabbing them onto your pimple could cause further irritation and even more inflammation than you had to start with.
Try an acne-treating range instead, like La Roche-Posay Effaclar.
Try Maizie’s anti-acne skincare regime below, using all products in the La Roche-Posay range:
Myth #7 Wrinkles are caused by age
Yes, as you get older, your skin naturally becomes less elastic and more fragile — this is because your body produces less collagen (this is essentially what causes lines and wrinkles). But there are also a number of external factors that can cause premature ageing. More often than not, pigmentation, wrinkles and other issues, are actually signs of dehydration, sun and environmental damage.
Our advice? Try not to over expose your skin to UV rays, and stick to a simple three-step skincare regime. Use a gentle, hydrating cleanser, antioxidant-rich moisturiser and SPF30+ face sunscreen.
Myth #8 You don’t need to moisturise if you have oily skin
External factors like pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing can damage oily skin’s moisture barrier, causing loss of moisture and an increase in oil production—which could mean you’ll end up looking even shinier if you don’t replace the moisture that’s been lost. Most cleansers will also strip the natural oils from your skin, so you’ll need to replace that protective layer.
If your skin does err on the oily side, opt for a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser, hydrating serum or lotion, rather than a heavy cream.
Try Maizie’s lightweight recommendations below.
Avene A-Oxitive Smoothing Water-Cream 30ml
Ere Perez Moringa All-Beauty Crème 50g
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Light Sensitive Moisturiser 40mL
Neostrata Resurface Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion 200mL
The Jojoba Company Daily Light Moisturiser 50mL
Avene Hydrance Light Hydrating Emulsion 40mL
Loved our article on skincare myths? We've got plenty more women's health and beauty advice on our Health & Wellness Edit, guaranteed to give your body a well-deserved boost. Suffer with breakouts? Here are 11 skincare mistakes that could be seriously damaging your skin. Considering moving over to a menstrual cup? Here are ALL your questions answered.
